Our Lady of the Lake Church is appealing the city of Mandeville's decision not to accept its revised plans for a new church. The appeal is scheduled to go before the city's zoning board Tuesday night.

The appeal stems from a decision by the city's planning department in late December to not accept the Catholic church's second set of plans for a new church on Lafitte Street, across from OLL's existing place of worship. The church's original plan was disallowed by the city's zoning commission, a decision that prompted legal action. After a ruling by 22nd Judicial District Court Judge Will Crain essentially upheld the commission's decision to disallow the church project, OLL attorneys appealed to the First Circuit Court of Appeal, where the case is now pending.

Meanwhile, in December the church submitted new construction plans to the city for a church with fewer seats than what was originally outlined in the proposal that is being appealed before the First Circuit. City officials said the latest plan keeps the same basic design, architectural style and amount of square footage as the original proposal. But the new plan has 850-900 seats compared to the 1,028 seats in the original plan.

Kidd said last month that under the advice of legal counsel the revised plan will not move forward through the city's planning process because of the pending appeal before the First Circuit.

The church project has been controversial since it was announced in the spring of 2010. Opponents fear the new Gothic Revival church would cause drainage, traffic and parking problems in the lakefront community and would not fit in with surrounding buildings. Supporters said the existing 465-seat church is way too small to accommodate crowds that attend popular weekend Masses and for some school functions. For some Masses, OLL is forced to use a multi-purpose building that houses a gymnasium, where those church goers who are able to do so kneel on the basketball court while praying.